Trailer



Feb. 1, 1938.

J. M. DAVAN TRAILER Filed May 28, 1957 4 Smets-sheet 1 J. M. DAVAN Feb.l, 1938.

TRAILER Filed May 28, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb. l, 1938. J. M. DAVAN2,107,107

TRAILER I Filedamay 2s, 1957 4 sheets-sheet 3 Inventor Feb. 1, 1938. J,M. DAvAN TRAILER Filed May 28, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Inventor iorneysPatented Feb. l, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TRAILER James. M.Davan, Rossville, Ill. ApplicatonMay 28, 1937, Serial No. 145,369

4 Claims.

My invention relates generally to trailers, and particularly to trailershaving brake mechanism responsive both to the application of the brakeson the draft vehicle or tractor, and to retardation in the forwardmotion ofthe draft vehicle or tractor, and an important object of myinvention is to provide a simple and ellicient arrangement of thischaracter.

Another important object of my invention is to provide in -a tractor andtrailer combination of the character indicated above, a trailer hitchwhich performs the oiiice of draft means for the trailer as well asactuating means for the trailer brake system.

Other important objects of my invention will be apparent from a readingof the followingdescription taken in connection with the drawings,wherein for purposes of illustration I have shown a preferred embodimentof my invention.

In the drawingsr- Figure 1 is a general top plan view showing theforepart of a-trailer connected by a combination brake applier and hitchto a tractor.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken through Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a side elevational'view of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken through Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken through Figure 1showing a detail of the 3 hitch.

Figure 6 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken through Figure 2approximately on the line 6 6 and looking toward the left in thedirection 35 of the arrows.

Referring in detail' to the drawings, the numeral 5 generally designatesthe draft vehicle or tractor which comprises a rear cross member 6 onwhich are mounted bearings 1 and 8 mountfw ing a rotary transverse shaft9 which has on its outward end a duplex brake lever I0 which has aretracting spring attached to its lower end and a link I2 attached toits upper end, the said link leading to an operative part of the brakemecha- 45 nism (not shown) of the tractor. The opposite end of the shaft9 has thereon an arm I3 to which is attached the front end of a chain |4whose rear end is attached to the cross member I5 of the latch mechanismof the hitch, the hitch being 50 generally designated |6.

The latch mechanism comprises the longitudinal rods I1 and I8 whichslide in tubes I9 and 20 which are fastened to the opposite sides ofhitch side members 2| and 22. 'Ihe front ends 55 of these rods I1 and I8have thereon nuts 23 and (Cl. 18S-142) 24 which permit adjusting thelength of these rods to adjust the tension on the spring 25 whosefunction is subsequently described herein.

A U-shaped cross member 26 bridging the front ends of the side members2| and 22 has slidable 5 therethrough the longitudinally movable shaft21 which has on its front end the clevis 28 which is pivotally connectedby means of a pin 29 to the'. draft link 30 which is pivotallyAconnected to a clevis 3| by a pin 32 which traverses the clevis 10 3|and which is fastened to'the tractor cross member 6 already alluded to..As indicated in Figure 2 of the drawings the rods |1 and,l |8 aremounted above the upper edges of theside members'2I and 22. The rear,end of the shaft 21 15 slides through a cross member 33 which extendsbetween the side members 2| and 22, and an adjustable stop 34 on theshaft 21 adjustably com,-v presses the hitch shock absorbing spring 35which is ciroumposed on the shaft 21 between the stop 20 34 and thecross member 26.

The rear ends of the rods I1 and I8 are pivotally connected as indicatedby the numerals 36 and 31 to opposite ends of a transversely arrangedlongitudinally slidable cross member 38 which 25 slides on the upperedges of thevside members 2| and 22 under the retainers 39 and 40 whichare fastened to the outer sides of the side members 2| and 22.

It will be obvious that when the brake operating 30 lever l0 is pulledforwardly at its upper end in the operation of the brakes ofthevvehicle, the arm I3 will swing forwardly and pull on the chain I4 soas to draw the rods I1 and I8 and hence the cross member 38 forwardlyagainst the holding 35 l action of the spring 25 and pull the crossmember 38 out of the notches 4| in the forward edges of the hookportions 42 of the similar levers 43 which are pivoted between the crossmembers 2| and 22 on the shaft 44 which has thereon a spacer 45 40keeping the members 43 properly spaced. In their engaged position thehook portions 42 come up under a cross shaft 46 which connects the rearends of the side members `2I and 22 and which has thereon a spacer 41keeping the side 45 members properly spaced and braced. The rear 1 endof the spring 25 is fastened to the shaft 44.

The rear ends of the side members 2| and 22 have upwardly and forwardlyand laterally outi wardly extending arms 48 and 49 which guide the 50action of the hook equipped arms 43.

The arms 43 have the hook portions 42 already mentioned and also thestraight portions 50 on the rear end of which rise arms 5| which arebent inwardly to provide a clevis formation 52 trav- 55 ersed by a pinBI which traverses an eye Il on the front end of a brake link 56 whose`rearend is connected by double linkage I8 to the front end of the mainbrake .applying rod l1 which extends rearwardly through the bolt Ilwhich is mounted on the trailer chassis side members Il. 'Ihe levers 4Ihave a pivot SII pivotally'mounting the same on opposite sides of ablock il which is fastened to the top leg l2 adjacent the bight 8l of aU-shaped frame Il which is disposedlongitudinally-andicentrally withrespect to the trailer chassis frame on the front thereof. A brace 8l isfastened as indicated by the numeral 68 to the lower'leg 31 of the frame84 and a vertical part BI is bolted as indicated by the numeral 89 tothe big-ht C3 and also to a plate 10. 'I'he upper part of the portionv88 has a horizontal rearward extension 1I which is bolted as indicatedby the numeral 12 to the bottom of the block 6|. The plate 10 hasupwardly inclining side extensions 'Il and 'Il which are traversed bythe pivot 60 and which are fastened to the sides of the block tl, theseextensions acting as wear plates f or the levers The trailer frontwheels 'Il lare mounted on dirigible spindles having spindle arms 15 and16 conventionally spaced and connected by a tie rod l1, and the lefthand wheel has an additional arm 'Il which is connected by a drag link19 to the lower leg '61 of the frame 84, the rear end of this leg beingbolted as indicated by the numeral III to the foot portion of a bracketIl, the said foot portion underlying the vehicle axle B2 on which thewheel spindles are mounted, and the said bracket Il being connected tothis axle by means of bolts 'Il and 84 which clamp against the front ofthe axle the plate I5 in opposition to the bracket. The upper part ofthe bracket has a forward horizontal extension It which overlies thechassis cross member l1 and is bolted as indicated by the numeral Il tothe upper leg 82 of the frame 64 and bolted again as indicated by thenumeral 89 to the forward ends'of the con-l verging braees 00 and lwhich have their lower and rear ends attached to oppositek ends of xtheplate 85.

front end portion of the chassis side members 92 and I3.

In view of the arrangements provided and described and shown herein,when the tractor 5 is operated in a manner to apply the brakes of thetrailer, the lever Ill will swing forwardly and in so doing retract thelatch dog 38 from engagement with the notches 4I in the hooked portionsof the respective levers 43 so as to leave these levers free to turn ontheir pivots il, and permit relative movement on the axisof the shaft 4lbetween the levers 43, 43 and the hitch frame which is composed of theside members 2| and 22.

Upon the slowing down of the tractor 5 with the latch released asdescribed. the forward pressure of thetrailer will cause the hooked endsof the levers 4I to move downwardly relative to the hitch frame so thatthe initially erect arms Il on Y the rear ends of the levers Il willmove forwardly and pull the trailer brake operating rod 51 forwardly andthereby apply the brakes of thetrailer.

e application of the brakes of the trailer will c rrespond in force andvenergy with the resistance of the tractor to the forward motion of 'thetrailer. When the brakes on the tractor are released the spring 25 willrestore the latch to a position to be engaged by the notches 4i in thelevers 43 as the pull on the hitch frame is restored and the resultingaction of Ithe levers is such as to bring the hooks up again intoengagement with the dog 38 as shown in Figure 2 of the drawings. Thebraking position of the levers 43 is shown in Figure' 3 of the drawings.

Although I have shown and described herein a preferred embodimentof myinvention, it is to be definitely understood that I do not desire tolimit the application of the invention thereto, and any change orchanges may be made in the materials and'in the structure andarrangement of the parts, within the spirit of the invention and thescope of the subjoined claims.

What is claimed isz- 1. In combination, a tractor having a brake systemoperated lever, a trailer having brake means and an operating membertherefor, a hitch connecting sald trailer to .said tractor, a normallyengaged latch on said hitchoperatively ing then adapted to be pivotedrelative to said first section bythe forward momentum of the trailerrelative 'to the Atractor in a manner to work said operating member toapply said brake means of the trailer.

2. In combination, a tractor having a brake system operated lever, atrauer having a brake means and an operating member therefor, a hitchconnecting said trailer to said tractor, a normally engaged -latch onsaid hitch operatively conf nected to said brake system operated leverofthe tractor, said hitch comprising a tlrst section con-v nected tosaid tractor, a second section connected to said trailer, pivot meanspivotally connecting connected to said brake system operated lever f ofthe tractor, said hitch comprising a first secsaid sections, said latchnormally engaging a.

portion of said second section and retaining said second section ininitial position relative to said rst section and relative to thetrailer brake means, and an operating connection between saidsecondsection and said operating Amember of thetrailer brake system, saidbrake system operated lever of the tractor being arranged to operatelsaid latch in-a released position upon application of the tractor brakesystem, said second section being then adapted to be pivoted relative tosaid first section by the forward momentum of the trailer relative tothe tractor in a manner to work said operating member to apply saidbrake means of the trailer. said Afirst section comprising guiding andaligning means for the movement of said second section.

3. In combination, ya tractor having a brake system operated lever, atrailer having brake means and an operating member therefor, a

hitch connecting said trailer to saidv tractor, a normally engaged latchon said hitch operatively connected to said operated lever, said hitchcomprising a ilrst lever 4connected to said tractor, a second leverconnected to said trailer, pivot means pivotally connecting said levers,said latch normally engaging a portion of said second lever andretaining the same in initial position relative to said rst lever andrelative to the brake means of the trailer, and an operating connectionbetween said second lever and said operating member, said brake systemoperated lever being arranged to operate to release said latch uponapplication of the tractor -brake system, said second lever being thenadapted to be pivoted relative to said tlrst lever by the forwardmomentum of the trailer relative to the tractor in a manner to work saidoperating member to apply said brake means of the trailer.

4. In combination, a tractor having a brake system operated lever, atrailer having brake means and an operating member therefor, a hitchconnecting said trailer to said tractor, a normally engaged latch onsaid hitch operatively connected to said operated lever. said hitchcomprising a ilrst section connected to said tractor,

2o a second section connected to said trailer. pivot means pivotallyconnecting said sections, said latch normally engaging said secondsection and retaining the same in initial position, and an operatingconnection between said second section and said operating member, saidbrake system operated lever being arranged to operate to release saidlatch upon application of the tractor brake system and said secondsection being then adapted to be pivoted relative to said rst section bythe forward momentum of the trailer relative to the tractor in a mannerto work said operating member to apply said brake means of the trailer,said trailer having a draft frame on which said second section ismounted, said trailer further having dirigible front wheels, a tie rodconnecting the said iront wheels. and a drag link operatively connectingsaid tie rod to said draft frame. v

JAMES M. DAVAN.

